Body grounding devices



Jan. 2, 1962 w. G. LEGGE 3,015,754

BODY GROUNDING DEVICES Original Filed Sept. 5, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. warn A 66 BY w w- Jan. 2, 1962 w. e. LEGGE 3,015,754

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United States Patent G 3,015,754 BODY GROUNDING DEVICES Walter G. Legge, Brooklyn, N.Y. Walter G. Legge Co., Inc., 101 Park Ave., New York, N.Y.)

Original application Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,735, now

Patent No. 2,933,651, dated Apr. 19, 1960. Divided and this application Oct. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,875

4 Claims. (Cl. 317-2) This invention relates to a body grounding device for conducting electrostatic charges from a person to the ground or supporting surface. The invention has particular reference to a body grounding device which may be readily and securely affixed to a person and quickly removed and which functions to effectively carry ofi electrostatic charges, and the application is a division of application Serial No. 681,735, filed September 3, 1957, and now Patent No. 2,933,651.

An object of the invention is to provide a body grounding device having a conductive tread member aflixed to an expansible and contractible band adapted to extend about a shoe in the region of the instep and which pro trudes below the sole and heel for engagement with the ground or supporting surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tread member of resilient material impregnated with a conductive material and which by reason of its resiliency is comfortable to wear.

Still another object of the invention is to connect the conductive tread member with a leg encircling band and an innersole both of which are conductive for carrying oil electrostatic charges from the leg and foot of the wearer and for dissipating the same through the tread member to the supporting surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a body grounding device of said character in which the parts are positioned close to the body of the wearer and will not interfere with the usual employment of the wearer nor be likely to become entangled in equipment or machinery about which the wearer may be engaged.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view in elevation of a body grounding device constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the same in applied position on a shoe.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an under side view of the conductive tread member and the means for attaching the same to a shoe.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately in line 44 of FIG. 3 with the shoe removed.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a modified form of the means for attaching the grounding device to a shoe.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view also similar to FIG. 4 but showing still another modified form of attaching the grounding device to a shoe.

FIG. 7 is a view showing another modified form of the means for attaching the grounding device toa shoe.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the grounding device is adapted to be fastened to a shoe and to a leg of the wearer for carrying off electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer. The grounding device includes a tread member 10 which is preferably fashioned of resilient material and impregnated with conductive material such as graphite or carbon and which by reason of its resiliency is comfortable to wear. The tread mem- 3,015,754 Patented Jan. 2, 1962 ice I her 10 is affixed to the shoe of the wearer such as the shoe S and is connected with a conductive leg encircling band B and with a conductive innersole T for carrying oif electrostatic charges from the foot and leg of the wearer and for dissipating the same through the tread member to the supporting surface. The aforesaid parts are positioned so that the same will not interfere with the usual employment of the wearer nor be likely to become entangled in equipment or machinery about which the wearer may be engaged.

The tread member 10 is attached to a band 11 adapted to engage about a shoe such as the shoe S so as to dispose the tread member in the region of the instep and in protruding relation below the sole and heel of the shoe and into engagement with the floor or supporting surface. The band 11 consists of an elastic portion 12 and a strap portion 13 which latter portion is made of woven material and impregnated with a conductive material such as graphite or carbon to render the strap conductive of static electricity. The strap portion 13 overlaps the elastic portion 12 at the sides of the shoe and is secured thereto by means of stitching 14. The tread member is affixed to a metal plate 15 having downwardly and inwardly directed tongues 16 which are embedded in the periphery of the tread member. The ends of the elastic portion 12 of the band are doubled over to form loops 17 and secured in loop formation by the stitching 14. The loops engage through openings 18 in the plate 15 to connect the plate with the band. This positions the plate 15 above the strap 13 with the tongues 16 securing the tread member in position against the under side of the strap as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings.

The band B also includes an elastic member 21 adapted to encircle the leg of the wearer adjacent the knee to dispose the plate in engagement with the leg of the wearer for conducting electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer. The plate 20 and elastic member 21 are provided with interengageable fastening elements 22 and 23 for releasably securing the plate and band B about the leg of the wearer. The lower end of the conductor is releasably connected with the strap 13 by means of interengageable stud and socket members 24 and 25.

A high resistor 26 embedded in insulation 27 may be inserted in the conductor wire 19 to prevent the flow of a high current to the metal plate 20 in the event that the tread member 10 comes into contact with a live electric wire.

The tread member 10 is connected with the leg encircling band B by a conductor 19 adapted to be *releas-ably secured to the strap 13 and to a flat metal plate 20 forming part of the band B. The tread member 10 is connected also to the innersole T for conducting electrostatic charges from the foot of the wearer. The innersole T is conductive of electrostatic charges and has a flexible conductive strip 28 sewed or otherwise afiixed to the under side thereof and provided with a snap fastening element 43 adapted to engage the socket member 44 for releasably connecting the innersole T with the strap 13 which is connected with the tread member 10 as hereinbefore described. The innersole T is removable and is arranged to cover the entire inner face of the sole and heel of the shoe and against the upper face of which the sole and heel of the foot engages.

Instead of fastening the tread member 10 to the band 11 by means of the metal plate 15, the tread member 29 may be affixed to a band 30 for securing the tread member in position on a shoe as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings. As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the band 30 includes an elastic portion 31 and a metallic strap portion 32 arranged with the strap portion adapted to underlie the instep of a shoe and with the ends of the strap extending upwardly at the sides thereof and secured to the elastic portion 31 by rivets 33 or equivalent fastening means. A flexible strap 3-4 is looped tightly about the tread member 29 medially thereof with the ends forming the loops secured to the strap portion 32 of the band 30 by rivets 35 or equivalent fastening means. In this form. the strap 34 is fashioned of woven material impregnated with conductive material such as graphite or carbon for carrying 01f electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer received through the strap 32 and to the ground or supporting surface through the strap 34. Instead of the metal strap 32, a flexible strap 36 may be employed as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings which is secured to an elastic portion 37 of a band 38 by stitching 39 or equivalent fastening means. In this form also the tread member 40 is secured to the strap 36 by means of a flexible strap 41 similar to the flexible strap 34 in the previous form and which is looped tightly about the tread member and secured to the strap 36 by rivets 42 or equivalent fastening means.

The straps 36 and 41 are fashioned of woven material impregnated with conductive material such as graphite or carbon similar to the straps 13 and 34 in the previous forms of the invention.

In the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. and 6 of the drawings the tread members 29 and 40 are preferably of sponge rubber so as to provide a cushioning effect for the tread portions of the straps 34 and 41 respectively.

A. resilient tread member 45 of sponge rubber may also be secured to a band 46 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings for engagement about a shoe of the wearer for disposing the tread member in the region of the instep and between the sole and heel of the shoe. The tread member 45 is secured in any desired means such as by stitching 47 to aflexible strap 48 to dispose the strap in underlying relation with the tread member and adapted to engage the ground or supporting surface.

The strap 48 is similar to the straps 34 and 41 in the previous described forms of the invention and is secured to an elastic portion 49 by stitching 50 or equivalent fastening means as in the forms shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The tread member 45 provides a cushioning effect for the tread portion of the strap 48.

Each of the forms shown in section in FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive of the drawings includes a stud member 24 for engagement by the socket member 25 of the conductor 19 for connecting the tread portions of the shoe engaging bands with the plate 20 of the leg encircling band B for carrying ofl electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer.

The elastic bands in the several forms of the invention. are preferably applied to the shoe to dispose the studs 24 outwardly or on the outside of the shoe so as to avoid accidental disengagement of. the conductor 19 by the other foot.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of. the invention.-

What is claimed is: g

1. In a body grounding device, band means adapted to encircle the fore part of a shoe and extend under the shoe in the region of the instep, said band means including a resilient upper strap portion and a flexible conductive lower strap portion protruding below the heel of the shoe for engagement with a supporting surface, a pad of resilient material secured to said conductive lower strap portion and disposed between the same and the instep of the shoe for cushioning said conductive lower strap portion, a conductor member adapted to be arranged in engagement with the body of the wearer, a flexible conductor connected to said conductor member, and interengageable conductor means carried by said. flexible conductor and said conductive lower strap portion releasably connecting said flexible conductor and said conductive lower strap portion for carrying off electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer through said conductive lower strap portion.

2. In a body grounding device, a band adapted to encircle the fore part of a shoe and extend under the shoe in the region of the instep, said band including a resilient upper strap portion and a flexible conductive lower strap portion connected with said resilient upper strap portion at the sides of the shoe with said conductive lower strap portion protruding below the heel of the shoe for engagement with a supporting surface, a pad of resilient material secured to said conductive lower strap portion and disposed between the same and the instep of the shoe for cushioning said conductive lower strap portion, a conductive innersole adapted to overlie the innersole of a shoe, a flexible conductive member affixed to said conductive innersole with the outer end thereof protruding from the shoe, and interengageable conductor means carried by the protruding end of said flexible conductive member and by said flexible conductive lower strap portion releasably connecting said flexible conductive mem-- ber and said conductive lower strap portion for carrying ofl electrostatic charges from the body of the wearer through said conductive lower strap portion.

3. In a body grounding device, band means adapted to encircle the fore part of a shoe and extend under the shoe in the region of the instep, said band means including a resilient upper strap portion and a flexible conductive lower strap portion protruding below the heel of the shoe for engagement with a supporting surface, a pad of resilient material secured to said conductive lower strap portion and disposed between the same and the instep of the shoe for cushioning said conductive lower strap por-' tion, a conductive innersole adapted to overlie the innersole of a shoe, a flexible conductive member aflixed to said conductive innersole with the outer end thereof protruding from the shoe, a resilient band adapted to encircle the leg of a wearer and having a conductive member for engagement with the leg of the wearer, a conductor afiixed to said conductive member, and means con-- necting said last mentioned conductor and the outer end of said flexible conductive member with the conductive lower strap portion of said band means to thereby electrically connect. said conductive innersole and said conductive member of said leg encircling band with said conductive lower strap portion.

4. In a body grounding device, band means adapted to engage about the fore part of a shoe and extend under the shoe in the region of the instep, said bandmeans including a resilient upper strap portion and a flexible conductive lower strap portion protruding below the heel of the shoe for engagement with a supporting surface, a pad of resilient material secured to said conductive lower strap portion and disposed between the same and the instep of the shoe for cushioning said conductive lower strap portion, a conductor member adapted to be arranged in engagement with the body of the wearer, a flexible conductor connected to said conductor member, and means connecting said flexible conductor and said conductive lower strap portion for carrying off electrostatic charges from the body of. the wearer through. said conductive lower strap portion.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,940,491 Freitag -2" Dec. 19, 1933 2,287,744 Monahan June 23, 1942 2,712,098 Legge June 28, 1955 2,785,344 Hines -2..- Mar. 12, 1957 2,933,651 Legge Apr. 19, 1960 

1. IN A BODY GROUNDING DEVICE, BAND MEANS ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE FORE PART OF A SHOE AND EXTEND UNDER THE SHOE IN THE REGION OD THE INSTEP, SAID BAND MEANS INCLUDING A RESILLIENT UPPER STRAP PORTION AND A FLEXIBLE CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION PROTRUDING BELOW THE HEEL OF THE SHOE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORTING SURFACE, A PAD OF RESILIENT MATERIAL SECURED TO SAID CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION AND DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SAME AND THE INSTEP OF THE SHOE FOR CUSHIONING SAID CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION, A CONDUCTOR MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ARRANGED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BODY OF THE WEARER, A FLEXIBLE CONDUCTOR CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUCTOR MEMBER, AND INTERENGAGEABLE CONDUCTOR MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUCTOR AND SAID CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION RELEASABLY CONNECTING SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUCTOR AND SAID CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION FOR CARRYING OFF ELECTROSTATIC CHARGES FROM THE BODY OF THE WEARER THROUGH SAID CONDUCTIVE LOWER STRAP PORTION. 